


The Fall and Rise.

by dreamingofawolf (rl4sb4eva)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Character Death Fix, Flouncy prose, Gen, Introspection, Major spoilers for episode 68
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:53:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8129483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rl4sb4eva/pseuds/dreamingofawolf
Summary: (Originally posted to Tumblr) Percy takes Ripley's bullet, but it's Vox Machina who fall.





	

Percy takes Ripley’s bullet and the air spills from his slack lips.

But its Keyleth who falls, tears on her smudged skin catching the sunlight and glinting. As she sees her future darken with one less white light to pull her from her darkness. As she feels the rage fill her lungs burning up from smoldering red scales to white hot pebbles that feel like mountains.

Its Vax that falls, his stomach dropping as he feels a tenuous thread start to stretch between body and soul as Percy is lying still. Eyes landing on the young man, child really whimpering and begging with red eyes on the ash stained floor, and he blinks away the sun glare that makes a red glow stain his eyes, right at the spot the hilt of his dagger had hit.

Its Scanlan that falls into his oft-declared but rarely used position of leader, breathing out swears of vengeance and family defeating their foe together. As he swipes droplets from his face and scoops his weapon up with a silent orchestra behind him.

Its Grog who falls further into the red of his rage, relentless and undying in the face of mortality. Hitting the glass ground harder than his fall to Kevdak. Ignoring the sheen of salt on his face and crackingly declaring it to be glass shards later.

Its Pike who falls to her knees when they return and lay his cold, still, so still, form on the ground of the temple. Sobbing and demanding to know what happened. Hand going to his neck to find a sharp shard of her ward in his collar and staring blankly at the red that wells on her finger as she starts her desperate song to her goddess, missing the sweet celestial that had accompanied her before. Determined and glowing as she sees the same thread as Vax, stretched almost to breaking point. As she whispers pleas for her family, her homes, herself.

Its Vex who falls, laying precious stones out on the floor hoping any will do, any will allow Percy back to her, fingers on wood and metal and leather. The perfect symbol of them, grasped and placed next to him with a gasp from the rest. Reaching out a trembling hand to finger the broach Vax lays next to her broom, to touch the touch worn wood of Keyleth’s staff, all built with Percy’s powder stained hands, on her knees on the rough stone floor as Pike chants.

And Percy takes the bullet, as his blood falls to the dirt and his heart falls to silent. He takes the hand of the Raven Queen that beckons, looks behind him at the flat faces of his family and steps closer to her too far, too close, expressionless mask and feels the thread pull. Feels the stitches of the crest on his jacket unravel as he moves. He stands still, torn between his futures and watches the flickers of time pass, hears the sobbing, and feels the ghost of tears hit his face, gentle and sharp enough to glide through him and tear holes larger than Anna’s.

Percy takes the bullet and he stands still, watching, almost missing the low murmur of chanting that floats down to him, warped through the barriers and he finds himself catching the melody, smiling crookedly and running. Following the thread as it gathers around his feet, tries to make him trip. His eyes catch on the red and green-brown shift of a broom ahead, flickering and faint as he reaches out a hand and grabs for it.

Percy took the bullet and he fell.

Percy takes the handle of the ruby and dulled silver broom, the shifting of the elements of the seat and the rising chanting of his family and he rises.


End file.
